Self clutching container closure



Jan. 19, 1960 F. J. SCHILLER SELF CLUTCHING CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Oct. 8. 1957 United States Patent SELF CLUTCHING CONTAINER CLOSURE Fred J. Schiller, Kew Gardens Hills, N.Y.

Application October 8, 1957, Serial No. 688,913

2 Claims. 01. 222-92 This invention relates to a closurefor collapsible tubes and other types of containers, having a neck through which a paste of any material or composition may be discharged, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a closure which is permanently attached to the container neck, and which can be forced into closed position in full sealing engagement with the marginal lip of the neck, by a resilient clutching action, which includes an external clutching effect and an internal clutching effect. Another object of the invention is to provide a container closure having an external neck clutching action capable of sealing the neck against discharge of the contents, which is provided with a forwardly projecting lip having cross teeth thereon, and which is so arranged that the closure or cap may be displaced by an end movement of the finger of the hand which holds the container, the teeth being provided to prevent slipping of the finger on the lip, and the lip being formed with a concave curve to insure quick opening of the cap.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a container with a closure cap constructed of a resilient plastic or other material and which is hinged to the neck of the container and which is formed with an internal socket having a wall adapted to spring over and close about an external lip or bead of the container neck, to clutch the neck and form a tight seal therewith, and which is further provided with an integral central stem or plug adapted to have a wedge engagement with an internal lip or bead of the container neck, so that a combined internal and external clutching action of the cap and the neck is established, by pressing the cap on the neck, so that quick closing and quick opening of the container, in complete sealing and sanitary safety, is secured.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification thereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation, showing the closure cap in vertical section, in a closed position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the closure cap in a raised position.

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of the closure cap.

Fig. 4 is a detail bottom plan view thereof, showing the hinge strap in section.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the bottom clutch sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the closure cap, enlarged, showing the same seated.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of the finger seat.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view, showing the application of the closure cap to a conventional collapsible tube.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 10 designates a collapsible tube or container, which may be constructed of extruded sheet metal, such as tin, or an alloy ICC 2 of tin or an alloy-of lead, or of aluminum, or may be constructed of extruded or molded plastic material, and which is provided with a container body 11 having a thin pliable wall which may be collapsed under hand pressure, as by end rolling or lateral pressure on the pliable wall. The body is formed with a neck 12 having the usual central discharge orifice or passage 13.

The neck 12 isformed with a terminal lip 14, which is internally restricted to provide an annular internal bead 14a, the underside of which is shown to be conical, enlargingdownwardly. The lip 14 is also enlarged externally to provide an outer bead 14b, having a downwardly and outwardly sloping external face 140, and a circular shoulder 14d, disposed at an angle of about degrees of the side wall of the neck 12. The neck is also formed with an annular groove 15, located below the annular shoulder 14a.

The discharge passage of the neck is closed by means of a closure cap '16, which is constructed with an end wall 17, formedfwith a centrally located integral plug 18, designed to-fit into the discharge orifice or passage '13, and for this purpose this central plug is formed with an axial cavity 18a, which permits of a moderate compressive action of the plug, when the plug is forced through the i'nte'rnal bead 14a of the neck. To insure that the plug has a sealing fit in the internal bead 14a, the plug is formed with a conical valve tip 18b, having an external conical valve face 18c, which is designed to have a sealing fit against the conical face 14a of the internal bead "14a, when the plug has been manually forcedthrough 'this bead.

The cap is also formed with an integral skirt wall 19, having-an internal conical face 19a to have a mating se'aling'fit With'the external conical face 14c, and having a restricted external clutching ring or head 20, which is designed to have pressure engagement with the right angular shoulder 14a. The central portion of the end wall 17 is reduced in thickness to render it flexible and reduce thereby resistance to expansion and contraction of the clutch wall 19.

The closure cap is retained in place on the neck of the container, by means of 'a sleeve or ring 21, which is connected to the top portion of the closure cap by means'of the integral and flexible hinge strap 21a. The ring 21 may be reinforced by a split metal or wire ring -22,'embedde d in the plastic or other material of which the ring is constructed. This ring is forced over the shoulder 14d and into the annular groove 15, where it permanently remains, Well below the closure cap and separated from it. w

When theclosure cap is in a closed position, the discharge orifice of the neck of the container will be sealed by the internal plug which can be slightly compressed and which then naturally expands to have an internal pressure fit inthe discharge passage of the container neck. In establishing this internal sealing fit in the neck of the containenthe central end wall of the closure cap is pulled into pressure contact with the end of the container neck, and at the same time the external clutch Wall of the closure cap is first expanded over the external bead of the neck, and then is allowed to contract, so that an external sealing fit under the pressure of the resilient material of which the Whole closure cap is made, is established between the closure cap and the external face of the container neck.

The marginal and thickened edge of the skirt wall is provided with a split spring wire ring 19a, which is embedded therein and which imparts to said skirt and clutch wall a resilient action greater than is obtained from the material of which the closure cap is constructed. The front side of the closure cap is molded or otherwise shaped to provide a forwardly extended finger seat 23,

3 formed with a low concave curve and with transverse V-shaped teeth or ribs 23a, adapted to prevent the finger from slipping on this extended finger Seat or opening lip. By, applying the tipof the-finger to this forward projection the closure cap maybe displaced from its pressure sealed fit on the container neck and forced into an open position. a i 7 The hinge strap is made of the same material. as the rest of the closure cap, and while this material possesses a natural resiliency, the rebound movement of the hinge strap is limited, and when the closure cap is swung to an open position the hinge strap will retain it in a position approximately right angles to its normal position, so that the movement required to completely close" the closure cap will be very short, and a 'Single movement ofthe hand against the closure cap will force it into full pressure Sealing contact with the internal and external and end surfaces of the container neck. 7

It is understood that the container may be constructed of any suitable elemental metallic material, such as tin, lead, or, aluminum or any combination or alloy of any metal, or of plastic, glass or any other material, and that the closure cap may be constructed of any plastic material having qualities to give the service required as described and shown; and that changes may be made within the claimed invention.

' used on a standard collapsible tube, having the usual externally screw threaded neck, to receive the conventional screw cap. In this view the upper portion of the collapsible tube 30' is shown to be provided with an externally screw threaded neck 31, on which the plastic sleeve 32 is screw threaded. This sleeve is thickened on its lower marginal edge at 33 and this may be formed with external slip resisting ribs. This sleeve is formed with an annular shoulder or seat 34 to engage the outer end of the neck of the collapsible tube 30, and seal the same, when the sleeve is tightly threaded on the neck.

The sleeve 32 is formed with a lip 35, having an'internal bead 35a which isengaged by the conical valve 38, which is formed with the usual axial hole 38a, and which depends from the wall 37. The skirt wall 39 is formed integral with the wall 37 and its lower marginal edge is formed with a bead 39a to snap on and have pressure engagement with the external bead 36 of the sleeve 32. A flexible hinge strap 40 is integrally con face located inwardly of the internal bead and formed 'with an external bead and an external surface of conical form located inwardly of said external bead and provided with a shoulder at the inner end of said external conical surface, a closure cap having a clutch ring mounted on the neck inwardly of the shoulder thereof and provided with an integral hinge strap and further provided with a split wire spring ring embedded in said clutch ring, said closure cap having a skirt wall enclosing the container neck and formed with an internal bead having a mating fit with said external conical surface and said shoulder and adapted to expand to establish contact with said external conical surface and said shoulder and to contract thereon by resilientaction to establish a Sealing pressure contact therewith, said closure cap also having a central wall portion reduced in thickness and provided with an integral plug formed with a central cavity and adapted to be contracted to pass through said internal bead and to contract to-have sealing pressure contact therewith, said closure cap having a concave frontal portion projecting from said skirt wall provided with an approximately concave outer surface formed with cross teeth to be engaged by a finger for displacing the closure cap from sealing contact with the container, the closure cap having thereby external and internal and end sealing pressure contact with the mated portions of the neck of the container.

2. In combination, a container having a neck provided with a terminal lip having an internal bead formed with der disposed at right angles to the neck and located inwardly of the external bead and sloping face lastna'nied,a radial groove downward from said shoulder and a closure cap constructed of resilient material capable of contracting and expanding and formed with a centrally located downwardly extending integral plug having ring adapted to have a mating clutch fit with the neck nected'at its upper end to the skirt wall 39 and at its lower end to the sleeve 32. The cap is further provided with a finger projection 41, having slip resisting projections 42, disposed in a concave arcuate curve.

In this construction a captive cap is provided for the collapsible tube of standard construction, which embodies my invention, so that by merely pressing the closure cap on the connecting sleeve or ring, the tube may be effectively closed. 7

Having described my invention, I"claim as new and patentable: v

' 1. In'combination, a collapsible tube container having a discharge neck formed with an internal bead and provided with an outwardly and downwardly sloping surshoulder and radial groove of said container to retain the cap in place on the neck, said closure caphaving an integral hinge strap provided with a clutch ring adapted to embrace the neck of the container and engage the shoulder of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

